Pulmonary Medicine - Patient Care | Department of Pediatrics

UCSF's Pulmonary Medicine Program has a 30-year history of providing excellent care to children. We address respiratory problems from chronic cough to birth defects of the respiratory tract. Our specialized clinics serve children with cystic fibrosis, asthma and sleep disorders. We routinely treat children who are ventilator-dependent or have a tracheostomy.

Our pulmonary medicine specialists advance medical knowledge and patient care through an active research program. We also continue our decades-long tradition of providing expert training to the pulmonologists and physician scientists of tomorrow. We take pride in serving our patients, their families and the worldwide medical community.

Asthma Program

1825 Fourth St., Sixth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94158
Appointments: (415) 353-7337
Office: (415) 476-2072

Cystic Fibrosis Center

1825 Fourth St., Sixth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94158
Appointments: (415) 353-7337
Office: (415) 476-2072

Pulmonary Clinic

1825 Fourth St., Sixth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94158
Appointments: (415) 353-7337
Office: (415) 476-2072

Our Pediatric Clinics

Asthma Program

Asthma is a life-long disease that can cause recurring symptoms of cough, wheezing, chest tightness and breathlessness unless it is adequately treated. If not controlled, asthma can interfere with a child's sleep, daily activities and exercise.

The UCSF Asthma Program team consists of pulmonologists (lung specialists), nurse practitioners and respiratory therapists. We work closely with children, their families and their primary care doctors to help our patients lead active and normal lives.

We treat infants, children and adolescents, particularly those with symptoms that are difficult to control. Our program consists of a thorough evaluation, including lung function measurements and allergy testing, comprehensive education on asthma and ongoing management to ensure the best possible care.

Cystic Fibrosis Center

The UCSF Cystic Fibrosis Center specializes in the care of children and adults with cystic fibrosis, a common and life-threatening genetic lung disorder. U.S. News & World Report has named UCSF Medical Center a specialized center of excellence for cystic fibrosis, and we are accredited by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Our team includes experienced doctors, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, nutritionists and social workers.

In 1980, our center became one of the first in the nation to establish a separate adult cystic fibrosis program. This program is now as large as our pediatric service, thanks to advances in patient care that allow children to live longer with the disease.

As a major center for cystic fibrosis research, our program receives more than $2 million a year from the National Institutes of Health to fund important projects, including a search for new treatments to correct the fundamental defect in the cystic fibrosis gene. We are one of the few cystic fibrosis research and development programs in the U.S. and have been funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for more than 20 years.

Outreach Clinics

Our doctors treat patients at outreach clinics that are affiliated with doctors, medical groups and hospitals in communities throughout Northern California and beyond. These community-based clinics allow patients to receive our expert services closer to home.

Cystic Fibrosis Center at ValleyCare Medical Center

5565 W. Las Positas Blvd., Suite 140
Pleasanton, CA 94588
Phone: (925) 598-3500
Fax: (925) 598-3520

Pulmonology
1300 S. Eliseo Drive, Suite 204
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: (415) 353-7337
Fax: (415) 476-9278

Pulmonology at ValleyCare Medical Center
5565 W. Las Positas Blvd., Suite 140
Pleasanton, CA 94588
Phone: (925) 598-3500
Fax: (925) 598-3520

Pulmonary Clinic

The Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic cares for children with both common and rare lung disorders. We also offer state-of-the-art lung function testing to children of all ages. Our doctors are experienced in pediatric bronchoscopy, an examination that is useful in many serious respiratory disorders. We believe we compassionately provide the highest-quality care to our patients. In addition to the general pediatric pulmonary clinic, we offer specialized clinics that provide cutting-edge care to children with cystic fibrosis, asthma and sleep disorders. We also have outreach clinics in Greenbrae and Pleasanton.

Pulmonary Function Laboratory

To treat chronic or short-term respiratory problems, it is often necessary to measure how well the patient's lungs are working with pulmonary function tests. These tests can be critical for making medical decisions, such as whether or not to proceed with a treatment or change medication. Periodic lung function tests are often needed to appropriately manage chronic lung disorders such as asthma or cystic fibrosis.

Examining the upper and lower airways (pediatric bronchoscopy and laryngoscopy) assists with the diagnosis, evaluation and management of many respiratory problems in children. Our physicians are experts in this useful procedure that is done in the UCSF operating rooms and in the critical care units of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. We have a full array of state-of-the-art flexible bronchoscopes to fit any child’s airway, and we have the highly qualified and experienced support of our Anesthesia Department and the Pediatric Critical Care Division.

UCSF's state-of-the-art Pulmonary Function Laboratory allows us to make airway function, lung volume and other critical measurements in almost anyone weighing more than 6 pounds. While having good equipment is important, having skilled, experienced laboratory technicians who know how to coach children through the tests is also essential. Our technicians do an expert job with even the very young.

Patients usually are seen in the Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic before receiving pulmonary function testing. However, a pediatrician may refer a patient directly to the lab for basic lung function testing. Our experienced doctors review all test results and provide a timely interpretation and feedback to the referring provider.

Sleep Disorders Clinic

Approximately 25 percent of children will experience some type of sleep problem during childhood. Sleep disorders can have serious consequences, ranging from learning and behavior issues to cardiovascular problems.

Our Sleep Disorders Clinic specializes in the evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders in infants, children and adolescents. Our goal is to optimize the quality of our patients' sleep to help them reach their personal potential, and to minimize the stress of sleep deprivation and sleep-disordered breathing on their bodies.

The conditions we treat include:

Circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed or advanced sleep phase syndrome (falling asleep and waking up very late or very early)

Insomnia

Narcolepsy

Nocturnal hypoventilation (breathing that's too shallow or slow) related to neuromuscular weakness

Obstructive sleep apnea

Parasomnias, such as night terrors and sleep walking

Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder

Sleep Laboratory

The Pediatric Sleep Laboratory conducts overnight sleep studies of children with sleep disorders. During the study the patient's sleep cycles and stages are measured and recorded. Patients are referred to our lab from the Sleep Disorders Clinic.

Some of the most common conditions we help evaluate and treat include obstructive and central sleep apnea. Sleep apnea in children is usually caused by very enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Other causes include craniofacial anomalies and conditions causing neuromuscular weakness. Sleep studies are also invaluable for diagnosing periodic limb movement disorder and narcolepsy, and can be helpful in the analysis of insomnia and parasomnias, such as sleep walking and night terrors.

Clinical Staff

Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

Diana Dawson, P.N.P.

[email protected]

Martha Richards, P.N.P.

[email protected]

Social Worker

Caroline Casey

[email protected]

Registered Dietician

Liz McMillan

[email protected]